DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE – Denali’s sled dogs can’t wait for winter to arrive. In fact, there is a 10% chance of snow in the Alaska national park on the day this article is published.
But did you know that the the sled dogs train in the off-season? This video captures a fall training session from a couple of years ago, as the team prepared to return to the trail—patrolling park boundaries, hauling building materials, and transporting researchers.
Volunteers can also sign up to walk the dogs during the summer. You’ll see them walking along Denali Park Road, the only road in the Alaska park. More than 90 volunteers donate their time annually to walk dogs, according to the National Park Service.
“Every year each dog will be assigned 2-3 dog walkers/runners to be their buddies for the entirety of summer,” says the National Park Service. “This program started back in the 80s and has been a proven stress reliever for both dogs and walkers.”
Denali National Park and Preserve’s kennels are the only sled dog kennel within the entire federal government, according to the park website.
NATIONAL PARK NEWS
